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Bernard Cornwell

5 series 53 books in order 4 standalone books

Bernard Cornwell (born February 23, 1944) is an English author of historical novels. Born in London, England, to a Canadian airman father and a mother in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, he was adopted by a family in Essex belonging to the Peculiar People sect. Cornwell attended London University and worked as a teacher before joining the BBC, where he spent a decade, eventually becoming Head of Current Affairs in Northern Ireland. He is renowned for his long-running series of novels, including the Sharpe series about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe, the Saxon Stories (also known as The Last Kingdom series), the Warlord Chronicles set in Arthurian Britain, and the Grail Quest series. He has written historical novels primarily based on English history, in five series, and one series of contemporary thriller novels. A notable feature of his historical novels is an end note on how they match or differ from history. He has also written a nonfiction book on the battle of Waterloo. Three of his historical novel series have been adapted for television.

Born
1944
Known for
The Saxon Stories, Sharpe, The Warlord Chronicles, The Grail Quest

Series by Bernard Cornwell

The Saxon Stories

13 books in order · 2004–2020

  1. Cover of The Last Kingdom

    The Last Kingdom

    2004 · Bernard Cornwell

    This 2004 novel by Bernard Cornwell centers on King Alfred the Great and opens in A.D. 866, when ten-year-old Uhtred is captured after a battle that…

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  2. Cover of The Pale Horseman

    The Pale Horseman

    2005 · Bernard Cornwell

    A 2005 novel by Bernard Cornwell. Uhtred, a Saxon cheated of his inheritance, must choose between fighting for the Vikings who raised him or for King…

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  3. Cover of The Lords of the North

    The Lords of the North

    2006 · Bernard Cornwell

    Book 3 of the Last Kingdom series by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2006. After defeating Guthrum at Ethandun and restoring Alfred's kingdom, Uthred…

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  4. Cover of Sword Song

    Sword Song

    2007 · Bernard Cornwell

    Sword Song is the fourth novel in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2007. The story follows Uhtred as he leads battles…

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  5. Cover of The Burning Land

    The Burning Land

    2009 · Bernard Cornwell

    In The Burning Land, Bernard Cornwell recounts the story of Uhtred, a reluctant warlord serving King Alfred of Wessex in the ninth century. As…

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  6. Cover of Death of Kings

    Death of Kings

    2011 · Bernard Cornwell

    Death of Kings is the sixth novel in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales series, published in 2011. The story follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon…

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  7. Cover of The Pagan Lord

    The Pagan Lord

    2013 · Bernard Cornwell

    The Pagan Lord is the seventh historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 2013. The story is set in the early 10th…

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  8. Cover of The empty throne

    The empty throne

    2014 · Bernard Cornwell

    In the early tenth century AD, Britain faces change as Viking raids from Ireland increase and Saxon leadership in Mercia becomes unstable. Æthelred,…

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  9. Cover of Warriors of the storm

    Warriors of the storm

    2015 · Bernard Cornwell

    With a fragile peace holding between Wessex, Mercia, and East Anglia, loyalties and ambitions are tested when forces gather against the kingdom's…

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  10. Cover of The Flame Bearer (The Last Kingdom Series)

    The Flame Bearer (The Last Kingdom Series)

    2016 · Bernard Cornwell

    With Britain in an uneasy state of peace, Uhtred of Bebbanburg seeks to reclaim his ancestral home, which was stolen by his traitorous uncle and is…

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Show all 13 The Saxon Stories books in order →

Sharpe

25 books in order · 1981–2006 · Chronological order

  1. Cover of Sharpe's Eagle

    Sharpe's Eagle

    1981 · Bernard Cornwell

    Richard Sharpe is a soldier known for his bold, professional, and ruthless approach to battle. He demands the same from his men, insisting they fight…

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  2. Cover of Sharpe's gold

    Sharpe's gold

    1981 · Bernard Cornwell

    Sharpe is a bold, professional, and ruthless soldier who faces a dangerous mission. After returning from battle, he and his regiment are sent north…

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  3. Cover of Sharpe's company

    Sharpe's company

    1982 · Bernard Cornwell

    A 1982 novel by Bernard Cornwell in which Richard Sharpe, having lost his command to a wealthy rival who bought the promotion Sharpe coveted, faces…

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  4. Cover of Sharpe's sword

    Sharpe's sword

    1983 · Bernard Cornwell

    Sharpe's Sword is a 1983 novel by Bernard Cornwell. Having forced their way into Spain in 1812, the British plan a decisive battle, while Captain…

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  5. Cover of Sharpe's enemy

    Sharpe's enemy

    1984 · Bernard Cornwell

    A band of renegades, led by Sharpe's enemy Obadiah Hakeswill, takes British and French women hostage on a strategic mountain pass. Sharpe is forced…

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  6. Cover of Sharpe's honour

    Sharpe's honour

    1985 · Bernard Cornwell

    A 1985 novel by Bernard Cornwell, a Sharpe Adventure. Condemned to the gallows after a court-martial, Sharpe must lead his men into battle again…

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  7. Cover of Sharpe's regiment

    Sharpe's regiment

    1986 · Bernard Cornwell

    In this 1986 novel by Bernard Cornwell, Sharpe's men risk being wiped out not by the enemy but by bureaucrats in Whitehall. Amid rumors of fresh…

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  8. Cover of Sharpe's siege

    Sharpe's siege

    1987 · Bernard Cornwell

    Wellington prepares for a major attack against French forces led by Napoleon, but he faces the challenge of preventing French forces from attacking…

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  9. Cover of Sharpe's Rifles

    Sharpe's Rifles

    1988 · Bernard Cornwell

    Richard Sharpe, an officer who does not fit his rank in society, finds himself cut off from the army and surrounded by enemy cavalry. He also faces…

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  10. Cover of Sharpe's Revenge

    Sharpe's Revenge

    1989 · Bernard Cornwell

    In this 1989 novel by Bernard Cornwell, set in 1814 amid rumors that Napoleon is dead or has fled, Sharpe fights one last battle at Toulouse, one of…

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Show all 25 Sharpe books in order →

The Warlord Chronicles

3 books in order · 1995–1997

  1. Cover of The Winter King

    The Winter King

    1995 · Bernard Cornwell

    Uther, the High King of Britain, has died, leaving the infant Mordred as his only heir. His uncle, the loyal and gifted warlord Arthur, now rules as…

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  2. Cover of Enemy of God

    Enemy of God

    1996 · Bernard Cornwell

    Enemy of God is a 1996 novel by Bernard Cornwell, the second book in a trilogy that began with The Winter King, continuing the story of Arthur. The…

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  3. Cover of Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur

    Excalibur: A Novel of Arthur

    1997 · Bernard Cornwell

    A story of love, war, loyalty, and betrayal beginning with the failure of Lancelot's rebellion and the ruin of Arthur's marriage to Guinevere. The…

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The Grail Quest

4 books in order · 2000–2012

  1. Harlequin

    2000 · Bernard Cornwell

    Harlequin is the first novel in The Grail Quest series by English author Bernard Cornwell, first published in 2000. The story takes place in the…

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  2. Vagabond

    2002 · Bernard Cornwell

    Vagabond is the second novel in The Grail Quest series by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2002. The story is set during the first stage of the Hundred…

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  3. Cover of Heretic

    Heretic

    2003 · Bernard Cornwell

    The third book in Bernard Cornwell's Grail Quest series follows Thomas of Hookton, who continues his quest for the holy grail. In 1347, after the…

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  4. Cover of 1356

    1356

    2012 · Bernard Cornwell

    A 2012 novel by Bernard Cornwell in which Thomas of Hookton, also called Le Batard, and his band of mercenaries are sent by the Earl of Northampton…

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The Starbuck Chronicles

4 books in order · 1993–1996

  1. Cover of Rebel

    Rebel

    1993 · Bernard Cornwell

    The story follows the First Bull Run, or Manassas, battle and how Nate Starbuck, a renegade from Boston, came to play a crucial part in it.

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  2. Cover of Copperhead

    Copperhead

    1994 · Bernard Cornwell

    A copperhead is a turncoat, a northerner sympathetic to the South. Forced out of his beloved Legion by General Washington Faulconer's enmity, Captain…

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  3. Cover of Battle Flag

    Battle Flag

    1995 · Bernard Cornwell

    After distinguishing himself at the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Confederate Captain Nate Starbuck's career is again threatened by the suspicion and…

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  4. Cover of The Bloody Ground

    The Bloody Ground

    1996 · Bernard Cornwell

    In the fourth and final installment of Nathaniel Starbuck's Civil War adventures, Nate commands a punishment battalion of cowards, thieves,…

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Standalone books

  1. Cover of Agincourt
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  2. Cover of Gallows Thief
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  3. Cover of Crackdown
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  4. Cover of Wildtrack
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Bernard Cornwell written?

We list 53 books by Bernard Cornwell across 5 series, published between 1981–2020 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Bernard Cornwell's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Last Kingdom.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Bernard Cornwell's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.